Cigar-bunching machine



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P. SOLER.

CIGAR BUNOHING MACHINE.

No. 393,083. Patented Nov. 20, 1888.

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P. SOLER.

CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

110,393,083. X gziatented Nov. 20', 1888.

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F. SOLER.

CIGAR BUNOHING MACHINE.

Patented Novf 20, 1888.

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UNITED STATES PAT NT @Frrcn.

FRANCISCO SOLER, OFBROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CIGAR-BUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,083, dated November 20, 1888.

Application filed November 30, 1887. ScrTalNo. 256.501. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCISCO some, a subject of the King of Spain, (having made oath declaring my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States,) residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Im- 'provement in Oigar-Bunching Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cigarbunching machines in which the hunch is formed by taking the tobacco in a rotary measuring-wheel from a hopper and delivering it upon an apron or belt, in a loop of which it is rolled up within a wrapper placed on the said apron or belt.

Important objects of my invention are to combine Within a single machine all the mechanism necessary for simultaneously performing the operations in duplicate, so that two attendants on opposite sides ofthe machine may work, and so that either of them may stop at will the part or half of the machine which he controls.

My invention will be hereinafter particularly described, and then pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view or an elevation from one of the fronts of the machine embodying my invention, the driving-wheel only being shown in section. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the machine in a plane at right angles to the plane of view in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation ofa portion of the machine upon the plane of the dotted line w 10, Fig. 1, looking toward v the left hand of said figure and omitting the feeding-hopper. Fig. 4 is a plan of the machine. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section upon the plane of the dotted line 00 x, Fig. 2, showing the rolling-tables, aprons, and other appurtenances in planview. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the feeding-hopper and measuringwheels and other appurtenances upon the plane of the dotted line y "y, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section upon the plane of the dotted line 2 .2, Fig. 5, showing one of the tables, its rolling-apron, and portions of the roller-frame upon a much larger scale; and Fig. 8 is a side view, also upon a larger scale, of the roller-frame for operating in connection with the rollingapron.

. Similar letters of reference designate correspending parts in all the figures.

\Vhile one important object of my invention is to provide a double machine at which two men may work and which will permit either of them to stop the operation of the parts of the machine which he attends and the other one of them to continue operation, it will be understood from the following description that many features of my invention are applicable to single machines for one attendant to operate.

A designates the side frames of the machine, which are connected by a bed, A, and by suitable stretchers, A to maintain them parallel and at the desired distance apart. \Vithin the frame is arranged a hopper, B, which may be of sheet metal, and which has in its outlet or lower portion, as here represented, two measuring-wheels, B, arranged side by side, as best shown in Fig. 6. The lower portion of the hopper is composed of a cylindrical casing, B, of sheet metal, which conforms to the shape of the measuring'wheels, and has in its upper portion an aperture, I), through which the tobacco contained in the hopper may pass to enter the peripherical cavities b of the said wheels. These wheels are secured upon shafts b", which are fitted to bearings 12 upon the side frames of the machine, and which are also fitted to bearings in a partition or head, b, which is fixed in the casing B between the two measuring-wheels. This casingl? may be secured to the hopper B by bolts or thumbscrews b (Represented in Fig. 6.)

In making cigars of different sizes, it is of course necessary to vary the size of the peripherical cavities b in the measuring-wheels,

so as to increase or diminish the amount of filler which they will deliver from the hopper.

To provide for thus varying the size of these cavities, each wheel has combined with it a frame, B", which comprises blocks or end pieces, I), fitted to the cavities and entering their open ends, as shown in Fig. 6, and by adjusting such frame 13 lengthwise of the shaft If the size of the cavities or their length available for receiving tobacco is increased or diminished. To adjust the frame 13 I have shown the wheel-shaft If as screw-threaded and having fitted upon it a nut, b and the frame B which may be of sheet metal, with the blocks I) attached to it, is held upon a nut, b between collars b b". The collar b, which forms a portion of the frame B may be secured upon the nut b by a set-screw, b, as shown in Fig. 6. When it is desired to increase or diminish the size of the peripherical cavities b, the nut I) is adjusted on the shaft b so as to vary the distance to which the blocks 7) enter the open ends of said cavities. This adjustment can be effected very accurately and conveniently without taking apart or removing any portion of the machine, and the adjustment of each measuring-wheel can be effected independently of that of the other.

The measuring-wheel B should have a rotary step-by-step motion imparted to it, and I have here represented its shaft 1) as provided with a ratchet-wheel, B, with which engages a pawl-rod, B, as shown best in Fig. 3, and operated as hereinafter described.

In order to prevent the tobacco from choking in the hopper B, I have shown the hopper as provided above each measuring-wheel with a rotary agitator or stirrer, 1)", upon a shaft, b. As here represented, the two agitatorshafts b, which extend from opposite sides of the hopper, have their inner ends connected by a sleeve, 1), which supports them as one continuous shaft, although it permits them to turn independently of each other. j

Each measuring-wheel B delivers periodically a definite quantity of tobacco into a chute, O, which also comprises a portion, 0, upon the metal casing B, and which is separated from such portion, so that it may slide vertically, as hereinafter described. Each chute C communicates with a plunger-guide, O, to which is fitted a plunger, Gi. By the chnteG the tobacco is delivered into the plunger-guide, and by the downward movement of the plunger G the tobacco is ejected or delivered from the lower end of said guide. I

To receive the tobacco I provide below each plunger-guide C a table, D, upon which is a rolling-apron, D, and which is fixed upon the bed A. It will be understood that while the measuring-wheels B are arranged side by side the delivery-chutes 0 lead downward from them in opposite directions and the plungerguides and plungers C C are at opposite sides or the two opposite fronts of the machine, but

in different planes parallel with'each other,

and the tables D, which are below the plunger-guides O, extend in opposite directions to the two fronts or sides of the machine, as best shown in Fig. 5. The apron D is secured at one end d in fixed position to the front end of its table D, as shown in Fig. 7,. but at the opposite end is wound upon a take-up roller, d, whereby the length of the apron D may be increased or diminished, so as to provide for the formation of a loop, d therein, as hereinafter described. The take-up roller d may be held against turning in the direction to let out the apron by a pawl-and-ratchet wheel, (I d, as shown in Fig. 2, and a spring, (1 may also be pressed upon the apron wound upon said take-up roller, so as to keep it tightly coiled thereon and maintain adefinite length of apron between said roll and the opposite end of the varies in size from one side of the apron to the other, so that the filling-tobacco or filler and the surrounding inner wrapper may be given a taper form as delivered from the machine. The adjustment of the relative slack of the two sides of the apron thus provided by the pivotal adj ustment'of the rollerframe d provides for varying the taper of the cigar-bunch.

In the table D, immediately below the plunger-guide G, is a groove or cavity, d and when the plunger-guide is down in the position shown in Fig. 2 and the plunger 0 descends the tobacco is pressed downward by the plunger into this cavity d, carrying the apron before it, so as to form in the apron a depression which conforms to the cavity d and which holds the tobacco within it. The formation of this depression is the commencement of the formation of the loop (1", in which the tobacco is rolled to form the bunch.

With each apron is combined a roller-frame, E, carrying a roller, 0 extending across the apron on the underside thereof and having an oscillating motion, whereby the said roller is caused to complete the formation of the loop in the apron and to traverse the length of the apron in such manner as to carry the loop d along the table in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7 and to produce the rolling of the tobacco within the said loop. As here shown, each roller-frame E is carried upon a shaft, E, extending upward and downward and fitted to bearings e at its top and bottom, and, as here represented, the shafts Eare inclined to the perpendicular, for a purpose hereinafter described. The roller-frame E consists of an arm extending radially from the shaft E beneath the table D, as shown in Fig. 2, and having upward projections at opposite sides of the table,which carry the roller 0*. A second roller, 6, extends across the apron above the same. These rollers e" e are not carried directly in the upward projections 6, but are fitted at the ends to heads or stocks e, (shown in Fig. 1,) which are themselves pivoted in the upward projections e of the roller-frame and capable of being fastened to hold the heads or stocks 0 in any position to. which they may be pivotall y adjusted by means of nuts e ,screwing onto the ends of their pivots and clamping the said heads against the upward projections e. The roller 6 is fitted to the heads or stocks 6 above the pivots of the said heads or stocks, and the roller 0" is fitted to said stocks below their heads. In the detailed side view, Fig. 8, of the roller-frame I have best shown the manner in which the rollers e e are supported. It will be observed from that figure that the two rollers c c are not parallel,but are divergent from one end to the other, they being nearest together at the side of the apron and table D D which is nearest to the shaft E. It will be seen that by loosening the thumbscrews 6 the heads or roller-stocks 0 may be turned on their pivots, as indicated by the position shown by full and dotted lines in Fig. 7, and thus provide for bringing the loop d more or less forward or backward relatively to the table D, as is also indicated by full and dotted lines in Fig. 7.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the position which the rollers c e occupy relatively to the apron at the time when the apron is ready to receive a charge of tobacco from the pl ringer-guide O,- and at this time the roller-frame is in such position that the rollers e e are between the cavity d in the table D and the take up roller (2, and at this time the inner wrapper is, by the attendant, spread out upon the portion of the apron D which immediately overlies the cavity (i When the plunger 0 presses the charge of tobacco downward upon the apron, it deflects the apron into the cavity (i and after the plunger and the plunger-guide O C have receded upward the roller-frame E, by the tu rning of the shaft E, is swung in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, and the lower roller, 6', is caused to.close the apron over the charge of tobacco which lies upon it within the cavityd and to compress the tobacco,and by the continued movement of the roller-frame in the direction shown by the arrows in Figs. 5 and 7 the roller 0* is traversed along the apron, thereby subjecting the charge of tobacco to the rolling operation within the loop (2, so as to compact it and close the inner wrapper closely and continuously around it. The rollerframe E continues its movement in the direc tion indicated by the arrow in Fig. 5 until it has carried the'lower roller, c' beyond the end of the tab1e,and by so doing has opened-the loop and delivered the incomplete cigar at the end of the table D, where a wire guard or holder, 8, is placed to receive it until it shall be removed by the attendant.

In the return movement of the roller-frame E in the direction toward the take-up roller d the upper roller or bar, 6, which is above the apron, serves to straighten it out or prevent it from gathering up in front of the lower roller, e so that it will be displaced. It is not necessary that the apron D shall in the return of the roller-frame be laid closely upon the table D, for the descent of the plunger-guide G will depress the apron into the cavity (Z in the table into proper position for receiving the next charge of tobacco.

It is advantageous to arrange the shafts E, which operate the oscillating roller-frames E, at an angle to the perpendicular, because the weight of said roller-frames will in such case cause the shafts to return automatically to position after their being turned in the direction to roll the apron. It is obvious that in case it is desired to roll a longer or shorter cigar it will be necessary to adjust the measuringwheels B so as to vary the size of their peripherical cavities,and it may be necessary, at the same time, to change the chutes and plungerguides O O for others which are narrower or wider than those shown. As shown in Fig. l, the chutes and plunger-guides O O are carried by arms or frames 0, which extend inward from the side frames, A, and which comprise guides 0 to which are fitted ears or slides c, projecting from opposite sides of the plungerguide 0.

As best shown in Fig. 5, each table D is curved horizontally in a direction toward the shaft E,which operates in connection with it, and from the front of the table as it is presented to the attendant at the side of the machine he can readily reach a treadle, S, by depressing which he may stop all those parts of the machine or the half of the machine which he attends. As is shown in Fig. 7, the table D has an upward inclination toward its outer end and is not horizontal. This is rendered necessary by the fact that the arm or roller-frame E, being at right angles to its inclined shaft E, is itself inclined to a horizontal plane, and as it is moved in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 5 it tends to rise. The inclination of the table D is madeso as to permit the roller-frame to thus rise without varying the action of the roller 6 upon the apron D and the tobacco which it surrounds. It will be seen that one table D, with it appurtenances, the inclined shaft E, pertaining thereto, and the chute G, plunger-guide O, and plunger G", together with themeasuringwheel B,'which delivers tobacco to that table, and the agitator b, pertaining to that measuring-wheel, constitute the parts of the machine which operate to deliver the rolled cigars to one attendant, and all these said parts or elements are duplicated in the machine. These two sets of duplicate elements are operated by two main shafts, F, each shaft serving to operate all the elements of a set, or, as it maybe styled, one-half of the machine.

The two main shafts F are operated from a driving-shaft, F, carrying a driving wheel or pulley, F; but the main shafts F each have a clutch-connection with the drivingshaft F, so that either of them and the parts or half of the machine which it operates may be stopped without stoppitg the other shaft F and the parts or half of the machine, which said other shaft operates. Upon the driving-shaft F is a pinion,f, gearing into two wheeis,f, upon the shafts F. These wheels f are not fastened to the shafts F, but are locked thereto each by a clutch comprising a member, f which is free to slide upon the shaft F, but is locked by a spline or feather in a well-understood manner, so as to turn with the shaft.

In Fig. 4 I have shown the right-hand shaft F as in a condition of operation by reason of mally the movable clutch members f are maintained in operative engagement with the wheelsf by springs f applied to the shafts F, as shown. Instead of beinglocked to their shafts F each by a spline or feather, the movable clutch members f" may be slotted, as shown atf, so as to receivea pin, f projecting from the shaft F, as shown in Fig. 4. The movable clutch membersf are controlled by horizontally-swinging armsf, each of which is pivoted at its one end to the frame and by a projecting pin near its other end engages a groove in the movable clutch member f in a well understood manner. From the arms f wires f or other analogous connections lead over suitable pulleys, f and downward to ireadles S-one to each treadleand at any time either attendant,by depressing the treadle which he controls, may,through the connection fflmove thearinf and the sliding clutch member f which it controls, so as to disengage one of the main shafts F from the wheel f upon it and thus stop the half of the machine which he controls,while leaving the other half in continued operation.

I will now describe the particular mechanism which in this example of my invention I have represented for operating the several parts. The agitators or stirrers b, which are in the hopper B, each have a chain-wheel, upon its shaft and is driven by a chain, 9, passing over a similar wheel,g upon the main shaft F, as is shown in Fig. 3. The corresponding measuringwheel B is operated with a step-by-step rotation by a pawl-rod, B as before described, and this pawl-rod is connected with a sliding rack-bar, 13, fitted to suitable guides, 9 and with which engages a sector, 9, having but few teeth and secured upon a corresponding main shaft, F, as is also shown in Fig. 3 and at the lower side of Fig. 4.. The main shafts turn in the directions indicated by the arrows in the drawings, and as the teeth of the sector 9 come in contact with v the teeth of the rack-bar B they raise said bar and thereby turn the ratchet-wheel B and the measuring-wheel B connected therewith. As the sector passes out of gear with the rackbar B said bar falls and the pawl-rod B comes into engagement with the next tooth upon the ratchet-wheel B.

The sliding chute and plungerguide O O and the sliding plunger of each half of the machine are connected, respectively, by rods hi with levers II I, which are respectively fulcrumed at h 71. Upon the main shaft F are a cam, h, upon which bears a truck-roll, h", on the lever H and an arm '6, armed at the end with a truck-roll acting upon the lever I. The arm 2" constitutes in effect a cam for operating the lever I and, through the rod t, for operating the plunger 0 After being raised by the cam h" and lever H the sliding chute and plunger-guide G 0' return downward by the weightof the parts,and I have shown a spring, 1;, as applied to the lever I for returning the plunger upward after it has been depressed by the action of the cam 73.

For operating the inclined shafts E each from its corresponding main shaft F,I provide a sector, j, upon the main shaft-and a gearwheel or corresponding sector, j, upon the inclined shaft. As before described, the shaft E returns automatically to a definite starting position after each operation, and when it has come to this starting position its sector j is in a position for the sectorj upon the main shaft to engage with it. As soon as said sectorj is brought by the rotation of the shaft F to aposition of engagement with the sector j it will turn the shaft E until it passes out of engagement with the sector j, and the shaft E will then return automatically to its starting po sition.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cigar-bunchingmachine, the combination, with a hopper and two measuringing a step-by-step rotation, of two tables below the hoppers extending in opposite directions and presented at opposite sides of the machine and each provided with a rollingapron, a sliding chute and plunger-guide and plunger for each table, an oscillating rollerframe for each apron, two main shafts from which the measuring-wheels,chutes, plungers,

and roller-frames are operated, andv a single driving-shaft having a clutch-connection with said two main shafts, whereby either of said main shafts and the parts which it operates may be stopped at will, substantially as herein described.

2. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with a hopper for tobacco and a cylinder at the bottom of said hopper containing a transverse partition or head, If, and having an opening, I), on each side of said partition, of two measuring wheels, B, having peripherical cavities b and fitted to said cylinder on opposite sides of said partition or head, two screw-threaded shafts, I)", on which the said wheels are secured. a bearing in said partition or head and a bearing outside of the cylinder for each of said shafts, a nut, b, fitted to the screw-thread on each of said shafts, and a frame, B fitted to each of said shafts, and which frame comprisesblocks or portions b, entering the open ends of the said cavities in the wheel, and is held against axial movement on the nut, whereby the cavities in either wheel may be adjusted in length by turning the nuts, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with a hopper, a measuring-wheel having a step by-step rotation, and a sliding chute,-plunger-guide, and plunger, of a table provided with a rolling -apron to which the tobacco is delivered .below said hopper, a shaft inclined to the perpendicular and carrying a roller-frame for operating in connection with the apron, and a main shaft provided with a gear-sector engaging a gear upon the inclined shaft, whereby the inclined shaft and rollerframe will return automatically to starting position after each operation of the said gearsector, substantially as herein described.

4. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with the sliding chute, pl Linger-guide, and plunger for supplying tobacco in definite quantity periodically, of a table, D, provided with a rolling-apron fixed at its one end to the table, a takeup roller, (2, to which the other end of the apron is attached, a frame, (1, carrying the take-up roller and adjustable on the table on a pivot, d, between its ends to swing and vary the slack in opposite edges of the apron, and an oscillating frame, E, and roller 6 carried by said frame for operating in connection with the apron, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination, with a sliding chute, plungerguide,

and plunger for delivering periodically a defi 

